“Oh, God, Trick.”Dear heavens, he was right there, almost inside her.She wanted him there, filling her where she ached.When he ran his hands down her shoulders and around to cup her breasts, she placed her own hands over them.“Next time,” she murmured blindly against his lips.“I cannot wait.”
He hesitated.Her heart pounded, her breath coming ragged and uneven.Every fiber of her being ached for him inside her, screamed for release.
“Now,” she demanded breathlessly.
“Look at me, lass.”
Her eyes fluttered open.Beneath his shining gold hair, his eyes caught and held her gaze.She’d never seen anything so intense and compelling in her life.“I want you,” she breathed.
“God,” he said huskily, “how I dreamed of this, all the time I was gone.”
“Now,” she demanded again.
Finally, finally, his hands moved to her waist.Finally, finally he lifted her, then guided her back down, slowly, slowly, still holding her gaze captive as his hands held her steady.She felt herself opening, welcoming his warmth into hers.
As she settled against him, she felt a jolt, a flood of excitement that made her tremble, and when they moved together, a heavenly friction that made her gasp.Had anything ever felt so good as physical love long denied?
She’d done this more than a thousand times.But this time felt new.As their tempo quickened, she felt a delicious throbbing, and she couldn’t tell if it was hers or his.Then it grew, until she knew it belonged to them both.Until she felt him pulsing within her and responded in a burst of exquisite glory.
It seemed a long while before she could think straight, before Trick placed one last cherishing kiss on her lips.
“Welcome home,” she whispered.
Thirty-Five
Jewel
EAGER TO GEToutdoors for one last snowball fight, the younger generation was rushing through Aunty Violet’s much-anticipated Christmas breakfast when a footman stepped into the room.
“Pray pardon, Lord Lakefield,” he said.“A messenger is wishing to speak with you.”
Uncle Ford rose and left the chamber.
Jewel thought nothing of it.While her cousins resumed shoveling food into their mouths and the rest of the family continued chattering, she savored a bite of panperdy.Breakfast was proving even more delicious than promised, especially this fine manchet bread fried in eggs and spices.More to the point, she felt cheerful and full of confidence this morning.
Back to feeling like herself at last.
As she’d climbed into bed last night, a tiny part of her had wondered if perhaps the mulled wine had been speaking when “I’ve decided to accept”came out of her mouth.But she’d awakened completely sober and free of regret.
She’d triumphed over Rowan, and she’d made her decision, and life was grand.If the wine had helped her do all that, perhaps she ought to consider drinking more often.
“I have news,” Uncle Ford announced upon his return.Looking a bit stunned, he plopped back onto his chair.“King James fled the country two days ago.It’s over.William and Mary will be our next king and queen.”
“No war,” Hugh said with what sounded to Jewel like a disappointed sigh.
“What a wonderful Christmas gift!”Mama exclaimed.
“Thank God,” Aunty Violet breathed.“A relatively peaceful revolution.But will we, the people, gain more power?Will our new monarchs sign a Bill of Rights?”
Uncle Jason’s jaw set with resolve.“If we Chases have anything to say about it, they will.”
A great cheer went up.It was a wonderful Christmas gift indeed, and soon they would usher in a glorious new year, with no threat of war.
The chatter resumed in an ebullient tone.Feeling even more lighthearted than before, Jewel toyed with her panperdy while her cousins asked to be excused one after another in a comically clockwork fashion.
“Don’t you want to join them?”Mama asked when she was the only cousin remaining at the table.“The thirteen of you are all together so rarely.”
Jewel shrugged.“I’m not done eating.And childish snow play is not appealing to me this morning.I’m twenty-one and all but betrothed, after all.”
